Lighting fixture



June 5, 1962 H. N. LIBERMAN LIGHTING FIXTURE Filed April 13, 1961 IN V EN TOR.

fiZm/i/Vlllierman 3,038,062 LIGHTING FIXTURE Harold N. Liberman, 5725 S. Halsted St., Chicago, Ill.

. Filed Apr. 13, 1961, Ser. No. 102,682

3 Claims. (31. 240-75 The invention relates to improvements in lighting fixtures and is particularly concerned with the novel construction and assembly of a lighting fixture especially adapted for installation on boats and equipped for connection with the usual low voltage direct current of the electrical circuit in the boat and with a high voltage alternating current source outside the boat. More particularly, the lighting fixture is designed for use irrespective of whether the boat is docked or at sea and, when docked, it can be connected to the usual alternating current source made available in the docking area. The lighting fixture also includes circuitry permitting direct current connection to either one of a plurality of lamp bulbs of different wattage, and the assembly of the structure is such that may be inexpensively constructed and easily assembled and in a manner to afford ready access to the lamp bulbs should replacement be required. The assembly also includes an outlet receptacle affording ready connection of electrically operated accessories or appliances to the alternating current circuitry.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a lighting fixture embodying the aforesaid advantages.

Another object is to provide a novel lighting fixture with a novelly constructed housing assembly.

Another object is to provide a novelly constructed lighting fixture base frame mounting a plurality of electrical components in a manner to afford utmost simplicity in the electrical wiring of said components.

With the foregoing and such other objects in View, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that various changes in form, proportion, size and minor details of the structure may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring to the drawings in which the same characters of reference are employed to identify corresponding parts:

FIG. 1 is a perspective View of a lighting fixture embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged elevational view of one end of said fixture, showing parts broken away.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal side elevational view of the fixture showing the cover housing or lens in longitudinal section.

FIG. 4 is an inside plan view of the base frame, showing the electrical components and wiring thereof mounted thereon.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating the circuitry of the lighting fixture.

Referring to the accompanying drawings and particularly to the FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 disclosures, the lighting fixture includes a cover housing or lens 11 fabricated from suitable plastic material, such as, for example, Lucite that is white frosted for maximum light diffusion, although other material such as glass, frosted or otherwise, may be used. The lens housing 11 is essentially substantially rectangular in shape and it includes a bottom wall 12 from which integral side and end walls 13, 14 respectively, extend upwardly at an outwardly inclined angle substantially as shown. Each end wall is formed with a centrally located inwardly offset area 15 that terminates in an external downwardly facing shoulder 16 for a purpose to be explained presently. Each end wall has its upper free Pited Stts aten 3,038,062 Patented June 5, 1962 ice margin, inwardly of its side edges cut away to provide a transversely elongated recess 17, the bottom edge of which is substantially coincident with but slightly below the plane of shoulder 16.

The lens housing 11 is adapted to be removably fitted over a base frame 18 which also is substantially rectangular in shape and has downwardly turned side flanges 19 and depending end walls 2121a, all inclined inwardly to lie parallel with the related side and end walls of the lens housing when the latter is telescoped thereover. As is perhaps best shown in FIG. 2, side flanges 19 are in face to face engagement with the inside surface of the respective lens side walls 13, and the base frame end walls 2121a are each shaped and arranged to lie within and fully occupy the elongated recess 17 of the related end wall. This relationship is perhaps best shown in FIG. 3 where it will be observed that each base frame end wall 2121a has an inturned perimeter flange 22 over which the respective lens shoulder 16 is snapped so as to retain the lens in place on the base frame.

The base frame constitutes a mounting for various electrical components, which in this instance includes a pair of direct current lamp bulbs 2324, an alternating current tubular lamp 25, a terminal block 26 and two switch members 27 and 28. The lamp bulb 23 preferably is a double filament lamp whereas lamp bulb 24 has a single filament, and each is mounted in one of a pair of sockets 29 each carried by a bracket 31 secured to the base frame and to which they are grounded. Referring to- FIG. 5, lamp bulbs 23, 24 are connected to switch 27 which, as shown is a double-throw switch operable to supply direct current to either of said lamps so as to provide subdued lighting or brilliant lighting, as preferred. The tubular lamp 25 is connected to external alternate current supply lines 32 through switch 28, which circuit also includes a receptacle outlet 33.

Switch 27 is mounted in the base frame end wall 21 whereas the switch 28 and its outlet receptacle is mounted on the other base frame end wall 21a.

Suitable means may be provided for leveling the lamp fixture which preferably is in the form of a plurality of spaced screws 34 which may be adjusted to alter their projection beyond the outside surface of the base frame, and openings 35 are provided in said base frame to receive mounting screws (not shown) for securing the f xture in place.

As many possible embodiments may be made in the invention, and as many changes might be made in the embodiments above set forth, it is to be understood that all matters hereinbefore set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings are to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is;

l. A lighting fixture comprising, in combination, a base name substantially rectangular in shape, depending flanges on the longitudinal edges of said base frame, end walls one depending from each end of said base frame, a switch mounted in each end wall, lamps mounted on said base frame Within the perimeter thereof and on the same surface from which the flanges and end walls depend, said lamps being selectively connected with one or the other of said switches, means for supplying electric current from a first supply source to one of said switches, means for supplying electric current from a second supply source to the other of said switches, a lens housing fitted on said base frame and enclosing said lamps, said housing including side walls overlying and concealing the base frame flanges and having connecting end walls, said end walls having openings therein to leave the switch carrying end walls of the base frame exposed to permit access to the switches, and means on the lens housing end walls engageable with means on the base frame end walls to detachably secure the lens housing in place on the base frame.

2. The lighting fixture recited in claim 1 in which the lens housing securing means comprises resiliently yieldable elements projecting from an edge of the end wall of the lens housing and a flange on each end wall of said base frame engageable by said elements.

3. A lighting fixture comprising, in combination, a base frame, end walls one depending from each end of said base frame, an internal shoulder on the free edge of each end wall, a switch mounted in each end wall, lamps mounted on said base frame within the perimeter thereof and on the same surface from which the end walls de pend, said lamps being selectively connected with said switches, means for supplying electric current from a first supply source to one of said switches, means for supplying electric current from a second source to the other of said switches, a lens housing fitted in said base frame and enclosing said lamps, said housing including side walls and connecting end walls, said end walls each having an opening therein to leave the switch carrying end walls of the base frame exposed to permit access to the switches, and a shouldered lug on the end walls of the lens housing resiliently engageable with the end Wall shoulders to detachably secure the lens housing in place on the base frame.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,799,304 Logan Apr. 7, 1931 2,213,584 Hulst Sept. 3, 1940 2,291,492 Naysmith July 28, 1942 2,476,517 Titus July 19, 1949 2,867,719 Stephensen et al. Jan. 6, 1959 2,913,575 Lipscomb Nov. 17, 1959 2,932,727 Larsen Apr. 12, 1960 

